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World Overview
The campaign setting of Pokemon Tabletop Adventures differs greatly from the universe known in the games, manga, and anime. It is an attempt at taking a look at the provided lore, and trying to understand what that world be like if it were a world parallel to our own. The following page was provided as pre-game information to each of the players, so they could better understand the world before creating their characters. 'The Pokemon World' In this world Humans live alongside magical monsters called Pokemon. Pokemon are the only animals in this world. Unlike the original media, in this world Pokemon live more naturally in the wild. They may live in herds, packs, flocks or other family groups. Pokemon eat each other, and people eat Pokemon. Pokemon reproduce like they would in real life. Not all pokemon lay eggs, and egg groups do not exist. Gyrados spawn, Pidgey’s lay eggs, and a Growlithe may have a litter of puppies. Legendary Pokemon are extremely rare and often very powerful animals. Many legendries have lived alongside humans for years, while others have existed since the dawn of time. Some legendries have been seen or even interacted with, while others remain myths and legends the general public scoffs at. Very few people are actual “Pokemon Trainers” by profession. Many people don’t even own pokemon. Most people get their {Pokemon from breeders to keep as pets or help with domestic tasks around the house. Pokemon Breeders make a lot of money selling both pedigree and rare color morphed Pokemon, known as shinys. Only serious trainers and kids actually go out and catch Pokemon to train; most people do not have the time to tame a wild pokemon. Most Pokemon are illegal to own without a trainers license, which is why many people get one even if they do not plan on battling. For the most part, the rule is that you may only own normal typed Pokemon don not have a license. Lately breeders have been selling pokemon that have been modified to get around these laws. Pikachus with their electro sacs removed, Nidorans with poison glands removed, or even Pidgey’s with their wings clipped are all for sale, labeled as “safe for home.” There is no set level when a Pokémon is able to evolve, but rather Pokémon are more likely to evolve when under the effects of adrenaline as they increase in ability/level. Premature evolution is considered dangerous, however, and can create complications, and as such the league has certain levels that individual species are recommended to reach before attempting evolution. Evolution itself typically takes 24 hours, unless the Pokemon rapidly changes due to stress or survival instinct. 'The Pokemon League Network (PLN)' The Pokemon League is an incredibly popular professional sport. It would be akin to the NFL, if it was an international bloodsport. Pokemon fight until they are either re-called, or are unable to fight back. Trainers sign liability waivers stating that they understand the risks involved in Pokemon battling, and it is not unusual for Pokemon to die in a match. Each region has its own League, except Orre. Johto and Kanto share a League, and feature sixteen gyms instead of the typical eight. League sponsored matches are televised events, watched live by millions around the world. Gym battles are also highlighted and shown throughout the year and shown on PLN, the Pokemon League Network. The Pokemon League Network makes hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Gym Leaders and the Elite Four are on League payroll, as are trainers registered within the gym itself. Famous trainers are celebrities, and ususally find sponsorship either within the League itself, private backers, or corporate sponsorships. A new season starts every year on January 15th and runs through December. Trainers have approximately ten months to collect eight badges to qualify for the finals. There then is a double elimination tournament, of which only ten trainers will advance. Gym Leaders are also welcome into this tournament, constituting the best trainers in that region. The ten finalists are then put through Victory Road, a three day long obstacle course/battle royal like event. This stage is notoriously deadly, and it is not unheard of for even trainers to die in this challenge. Typically only one or two at most make it out to challenge the Elite Four. The trainer then must fight the each member of the Elite Four back to back and win to be named champion. When the player is named champion he is typically offered a seat on the Elite Four, with the lowest member then being removed. Every four years a special tournament is held in which the champions from each region battle it out to crown the global champion, the alleged best Pokémon Trainer in the world. The current inter-regional champion is a man named Red. Four years ago he came out of nowhere to sweep the competition. He was offered a spot on the Elite Four, sponsorships, and even his own gym. He turned all offers down, and disappeared back into obscurity. 'World History' Ancient History and the Origins of Pokemon Battling Pokemon and humans have coexisted side by side for as long as people can remember. Early humans began training Pokemon to help them hunt, and protect them from the Pokemon that saw them as food. This eventually led to contests to determine who had trained the strongest Pokemon, and thus Pokemon battling was born. When a boy reached the age of 10, he was sent out on his own with a Pokemon at his side as an initiation into adulthood. This ritual carries over into today, where children eagerly await their tenth birthday, an age when most children receive their first Pokemon. When Kanto and Johto were still different countries, a great contest was held every year. The best Pokémon Trainer in each state would battle in friendly competition. The leaders of each region would spend all year searching for the best Trainer and Pokemon to represent their country in an equivalent to the Olympics. Some Poke-scholars attribute this competition to be the start of the Pokémon League. A Revolutionary Device: The Origin of the Pokeball A device used for the capture and containment of Pokemon, the “Pokeball" was created by William Boxley in 1913. Boxley was known worldwide as an Artican explorer, and the first man to make it to the north pole. The circumstances surrounding the Pokeball’s creation are very mysterious, and no one actually knows how Boxley bridged the huge jump in technology to create the first one.It was with the creation of the Pokeball that the term “Pokemon” came into use. Slang for “Pocket Monster,” what we now call Pokemon were originally just called animals. Pokeballs are manufactured by many companies around the world, with Silph Corporation being the largest. Silph Co. is a massive mega-corporation that primarily caters to the Pokemon Trainer "lifestyle." Silph Co. was founded in Cerulean City 1953 by Jonathan Silph and a much older Bill Boxley. Most Poke-scholars agree that the creation of Silph Co. marked the beginning of the modern Pokémon League. Silph is the leading manufacturer of Pokeballs, TM and HMs, potions, and other trainer gear and items. Starting out as a small company distributing the newly engineered Pokeballs, Silph Co. did not hit its stride until the Great Shadow War. Some economists claim that Silph Co. has stiffled competition in the market, being by far the largest international Pokeball manufacturer in the world. 'Mechanics of the Pokeball' The Pokeball is a gateway to a small pocket dimension. While inside of the Pokeball, the Pokemon is in a complete state of stasis. According to Humphrey , being inside of the pokeball puts you into a state of complete non-existance, and nothing is experienced. In a conversation with Charlotte , Humphrey explained that going inside and outside of a pokeball was somewhat disorienting, and takes a lot of getting used too. While a Pokemon is in a state of stasis inside of the ball, captured Pokemon do seem to have approximately the same lifespan as their wild counterparts. Scientists have not deciphered this strange phenomenon, pointing only Pokeball puts a psychological strain on the animal. Most Pokemon lose all fear of being called in and out of their Pokeball very quickly, and adapt rapidly to a trained lifestyle. The modern Pokeball has been developed with very complex and specific software. It is incredibly difficult to hack or tamper with a Pokeball, and the inner workings of the pokeball are a well kept secret by the companies that make them, and a select group of highly trained people known as Apricorn Smiths. Modern Pokeballs include the functionality to be able to shrink to the size of a golf ball for easy carrying and to act as a safety mechanism, preventing any unwanted releases of pokemon. According to Bill Boxley, Pokeballs are coded to only work with non-human DNA, making the capture of humans impossible. He does however claim that "If he really wanted too he could make a Pokeball for that. But it would take a long time and be incredibly difficult. Not to mention illegal." Apricorn's can be used as an organic equivalent of a pokeball. While the dimensional gateway technology is still the same, the outer casing of the ball is made from the husk of a apricorn. Apricorn pokeballs do not have the ability to shrink to a smaller size like modern manufactured balls are. Poke-Warefare and the Origin of the Big Six Every human conflict in this world has involved Pokemon. Wars have been devastating with Pokemon as part of the arsenal. Johto and Kanto have been at war numerous times throughout history, citing social and political differences. Kanto was always quick to expand as well, claiming the Orange and Sevii Island chains as colonies in 1480. Kanto went to war with both Sinnoh and far-off Unova in the 1700’s, eventually claiming both as regions by the 1790’s. The most recent and devastating war was the Great Shadow War. Fought between the years of 1964-1970, the Shadow War was the first World War of the Pokemon world. The region of Orre was once a vast and powerful kingdom. Looking to expand, Chairman Laurent Cipher began to make plans to first invade Hoenn, then Kanto. Orrean scientists had developed a serum that changed Pokemon into dangerous monsters. Dubbed “shadow” Pokemon, these dangerous creatures were known to have jet black eyes and notoriously powerful. The increased power and aggressing led them to often into uncontrollable rages, sometimes killing allies in wild attacks. Orre was very easily able to invade Hoenn, taking the region in two months. Kanto and Johto began to mobilize forces to defend the mainland. With Sinnoh and Unova helping, the Orrean army was eventually pushed out of Hoenn after years of occupation. Cipher continued to fight back, refusing to give up his doomed quest even as Orre itself was being destroyed. As his final attempt to get back at Kanto, Cipher was able to capture a Lugia , using very powerful psychic pokemon. He converted the mythical bird into a shadow monster and unleashed it upon Kanto and Johto. Shadow Lugia was nearly unstoppable, blasting cities and killing thousands of innocent people. Upon attacking Ecruteak City, another Lugia arose to fight off the invader. The Brass Tower was destroyed in the ensuing battle. With help from Ho-oh, the protector of the city, Shadow Lugia was defeated. It crashed off the shore of Olivince City, and its body has never been recovered. In order to end the war, Kanto had extensively bombed Orre. With a combination of waves of radioactive Hyper Beams and Poison-Type warfare, Orre was quickly converted into a toxic wasteland. All of the shadow Pokemon were systematically rounded up and killed. Cipher went into hiding after the war, but was captured several years later. He was completely insane, and was publicly put to death along with other war criminals. After the war, the six regions joined together under Kanto to form a new world government, known as The Big Six. The Federal Government is located in Saffron City, while each region has their own governor. Peace had finally settled on the pokemon world….. Politics: The Poke-litical Climate While the pokemon world is at peace, the political climate in the Big Six is heating up. There are two main ideologies in the Pokemon world, fueling a bi-partisan democracy. 'The Conservatives (The Donphan Party)' The Conservatives believe in retaining core values of cultural significance, with minimal regulation. The Conservatives’ primary goal is to retain the relationship between Pokemon and humans. They fight for their belief that society was built upon the trusting relationship between trainer and Pokemon. They also stand for their belief that it is part of their cultural heritage to raise and battle Pokemon. Johtinians and Orreans are primarily conservative, as well as many parts of the Orange and Sevii Islands. The Conservatives also strongly support the Pokemon League, citing it's value as a crucial factor in the global economy. 'The Progressives (The Giragarig Party)' The Progressives believe that society needs to move forward, away from many older practices. The core belief of extremist Progressives is that owning pokemon is cruel. Many of them even refuse to use the word “Pokemon,” deriding its connotations of being able to own nature and control nature. They see the Pokemon League as only furthering the cruelty and suffering of Pokemon at the hands of their trainers. The majority of Kantonians and Unovans are Progressive. 'Current Political Status' The current president of the Big Six, Rachel Johanson, is very progressive. Johanson is currently championing a sweeping Pokemon legislation bill called POPRA ( the Protection of Pokemon Rights Act.) This bill is very comprehensive in its coverage of Pokemon Legislation: *It would restrict battling to be done in Gyms or Pokemon League sponsored arenas only. *Prevent trainers from taking more than one Pokemon from the wild a month to preserve and re-grow Pokemon population. *Support of natural species, and begin the process of curbing the invasive species problem. *Banning the ability to release Pokemon to the wild outside of their natural region. *Outlaw certain Pokemon deemed too dangerous for ownership, even by trainers. *Apply harsher punishments for League offenders and Pokemon related crimes. *Calls for an in-depth investigation of the Pokemon League to investigate reports of fraud and alleged ties to the criminal organization Team Rocket. *Government registration of Pokemon, including the creation of an up to date database of all owned and captured Pokemon. *Also included in the bill is a new clause to tag and monitor legendary pokemon after the Raikou incident that occured on December 4th, 2011. In the early 1990’s, the first ever man made pokemon was created. Porygon may not look like much, but signaled a huge accomplishment for the scientific community. Pokemon genetics and research has been a heavily debated topic, and remains one of the biggest "hot button" issues in the Poke-Politcal Climate. Geography There are six main regions in the known Pokemon World. The Federal Government is located in Kanto, while each region has its own regional government. Transport is available along main roads between major cities via a highway system. A floating magnet train links Goldenrod to Saffron city, allowing fast travel between the two regions. In between each city are also "trainer paths," which are comprised of trails typically far away from the main roads that trainers can use to travel between towns. Low ranking Rangers patrol these paths fairly often in the interest of preserving the surrounding environment in spite of the frequent traffic, and protecting people from wild Pokemon. All good trainers know that if you want to find the good pokemon, go off the trails into the woods. 'Kanto' Home of the oldest known Pokemon League, Kanto is the central hub of the Pokemon world. Home of the Federal Government and Silph Co, Kanto has an ever expanding urban population. Pallet town Hicksville. Pallet Town is the breadbasket of Kanto. Very few people live there, and those that do are farmers. Pallet Town received some publicity for the fact that famous pokemon Professor Samuel Oak decided to build his laboratory there. He chose Pallet Town due to the quiet and isolated location. Viridian City Gateway to the Pokemon League. Viridian City is the fastest growing city in Kanto. Their economy is booming, credited to its proximity to the Pokemon League. It has an airport, as well as a privately owned Pokemon League airport. Viridian City is also a college town, hosting the largest university in Kanto, Viridian University. Pewter City Nestled in the foothills of the Mt. Moon Mountains, Pewter is home to the scientific community of Kanto. It also hosts a large mining community. A tunnel through the mountain is currently being drilled, in hope of making the long drive from Cerulean to Pewter safer. Cerulean City Cerulean City is much like Venice in that several rivers divide the city blocks, and many people get around with boats. It has been expanding a lot lately, and is a fairly wealthy community. Notable residents include Bill Boxley III, who's family has settled there since the construction of the Cerulean Cape Lighthouse in the early 1800's. Vermillion City An industrial center. In some ways, Vermillion is much like Seattle. It is the Import/Export hub for Kanto, and gets a lot of sea and air traffic. Many of Silph Co’s factories are here. The city can easially be divided into east and west Vermillion. East Vermillion is commonly refered to as "the bad side of town," while West Vermillion is quite the opposite; posh houses and million dollar mansions overlooking the bay. Celadon City Celadon city is very similar Las Vegas. Big neon lights, and tons of places to gamble. Huge hotels and massive department stores created the center of town. It is a huge hub for entertainment, and there are always concerts and shows going on here. There is a huge underground battling network here that the everyone and their mother knows about and the Feds have been attempting to crack down on. Lavender town A very small village nestled in the Rock Mountains, Lavender town is home to the pokemon tower, an ancient pokemon burial ground. The Pokemon Tower has been recently closed, and the remains of the pokemon there are slowly being transfered a new structure known as the Hall of Memories. Spiritualists, mediums, and psychics flock here. Only accessible by dirt road. Fuchsia city Home of the recently shut down Pokemon Safari Zone. Used to be a huge hub for tourism in Kanto, but now the city’s economy is shriveling up due to its closure. People still come here to visit the world famous Pokemon zoo, and the surf contest held in summer. Cinnabar Island Maui/Miami. People come here to retire or spend a vacation. Cinnabar is a beautiful island, covered in dense jungle. Its sprawling hotel circuit raps the Island’s eastern shore. Rumors abound about dark dealings that happen in the back rooms of the casino's here. Johto For the most part, Johto is a land set in old ways. The people there hold on to traditional values, and are closer to the past. There are many ruins and old structures left in Johto to remind them of this. The Tin Tower, Sprout Tower, and Ruins of Alph are all historical landmarks. But Johto isn’t immune to modernization. Goldenrod city is a bustling and thriving metropolis, filled with all kinds of people and pokemon. It has a vast underground network, and is rumored to be the place to be for illegal pokemon battling and gambling. Hoenn Hoenn is a land of mixed ideals. Many of the towns are still set in their old ways, while others are working on future sciences and technologies. The Space Program is based in Mossdeep City. Rustboro is the home to Devon Corporation, the only pokeball manufacturer that comes close to competing with Silph Co. For the most part, Hoenn has recovered well from its occupation in the war, with only minor reminders of it's difficult past. Sinnoh Many tourists visit the beautiful land of Sinnoh. Its three large lakes draw people from all over the world, while its mountains attract trainers and hikers. It is the northernmost inhabited region, and has very cold winters. Unova Unova is very far away from the other regions. It is very modernized, and a strong supporter of progressive legislation. It is also home to a group that calls themselves Team Plasma, a very vocal extremist organization that promotes the total freedom of pokemon. Orre After the war, Orre has become the wild west. It is a desert wasteland with little to no wild pokemon anymore. It is a dangerous place filled with criminals and outsiders who don’t mesh well with society. Orange and Sevii Islands The Orange Archipelago is home to its own mini Pokémon challenge. It is primarily a resort destination, and many people choose to retire there as well. The Sevii islands are mostly uninhabited, only a few have small villages home to native islanders. Arctica The Pokemon equivalent of Antartica. It’s cold there.